Vitamin D supplements

Supplements are used to treat vitamin D deficiency and its symptoms.

Osteoporosis

Vitamin D supplements are recommended in the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Several research studies suggest that vitamin D supplements reduce the occurrence of fractures in elderly people.

In a study published in 1997, researchers at Tufts University in Boston assessed the effects of calcium (500 mg per day) and vitamin D (700 IU per day) in 176 men and 213 women aged 65 years or older. When bone density was measured after a three-year period, those taking the supplements had higher bone density at all body sites measured. The fracture rate was also reduced by 50 per cent in those taking the supplements.

Vitamin D supplements may also be useful in preventing bone loss in patients taking corticosteroid drugs. In a study published in 1996, researchers at the University of Virginia found that calcium and vitamin D supplements helped prevent the loss of bone mineral density in those taking the drugs for arthritis, asthma and other chronic diseases.

However, other studies have not shown any reduction in fracture rates in those taking vitamin D supplements. A 1996 study which was carried out in Amsterdam looked at the effects of either vitamin D or a placebo on 2500 healthy men and women over the age of 70 who were living independently. The participants received a placebo or a daily dose of 400 IU of vitamin D for a three-and-a-half-year period. Dietary calcium intake was the same in both groups. Forty-eight fractures were observed in the placebo group and 58 in the vitamin D group.

Other uses

Vitamin D supplements are also used to treat the skin disorder, psoriasis, and are also being investigated for their ability to prevent and treat cancer.

Because of its effects on the immune system, many researchers are investigating the possibility of using vitamin D and related compounds to treat autoimmune disorders and to suppress rejection of transplanted organs.